"If there is only one carrier - United - there's going to be a significant premium" on the price of that convenient trip, predicted John Martin, SFO director.

Virgin America has applied for two of the remaining round-trip slots the federal government has made available for long-distance flights to Reagan National.

The granting of those slots to Virgin America makes sense by every critical measure. It would be justified by the high volume of air traffic between San Francisco and Washington, it would make sense from the standpoint of the importance of the connection between federal policymakers and this region's innovation economy, and it would be a huge plus for Bay Area travelers - especially those who are not flying to Washington on an expense account.

"If you think about it, the least price-sensitive (travelers) are the most time sensitive," said David Cush, CEO of Virgin America, which has argued that its two nonstop options (one leaving SFO at 9:05 a.m., the other at 1:30 p.m.) would give the airline the economic efficiencies to hold down fares.

The original justifications for that 1966 rule have long been exhausted. One reason was to allow the new Dulles Airport to thrive. It does - now serving about 20 million passengers a year. Another was to steer noisy aircraft away from the more populated neighborhoods in the capital and near-in suburbs. Today's jets are quieter and cleaner.

Also, a flight to National gives a traveler the option to board a Metro train to his or her Washington hotel - instead of a long (an hour or more in traffic), expensive (up to $60) and carbon-intensive ride in a taxi or shuttle bus. A trip to National is good for the pocketbook, good for the environment, and good for the dialogue between business leaders and policymakers.

"Getting (business) delegations to go back to D.C. is tough as it is ... and each additional hour is valuable time," said Jim Wunderman, CEO of the Bay Area Council.

This is a chance for the feds to strengthen the link between Washington and a region that is driving the 21st century economy. The Obama administration should approve Virgin America's application.

About the 'perimeter rule'

In 1966, the federal government severely limited flights of more than 650 miles into Washington's National Airport. The main reason was to steer long-distance flights into the newly opened Dulles Airport in the Virginia suburbs.

The perimeter was extended to 1,250 miles in the late 1980s, allowing nonstop flights from as far as Houston.

A Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill signed by President Obama in February will allow eight additional round trips to Reagan National Airport beyond the 1,250 mile perimeter. The first four were awarded to "legacy carriers," including United Airlines, which will initiate nonstop service from San Francisco to Reagan National in May. Four round-trip slots will be awarded to smaller carriers. Virgin America has applied for two of those slots, and would use each for nonstop service to SFO.